More of …The Hazards of Befriending CO’s sister
by Quarkie
Summary: What happened over the 7 years between when Sam first met Jack’s little sister Liz to when Jack asked her to marry him in Liz’s backyard. The history of the story The Hazards of Befriending Your CO's Little Sister.
1. John and Liz

More of the Hazards of Befriending your CO's little sister

The history of Jack, Liz, Mike and Sam. What happened over the 7 years between when Sam first met Jack's little sister Liz to when Jack asked her to marry him in Liz's backyard. This collection of stories will include the Sam's first trip to Chicago, the first time Sam met Jack's Mom, the Anniversary Party and more. For more see The Hazards of Befriending your CO's Little Sister – which is technically the end of these little stories, but introduces all of the non-Stargate characters and is the main story.

All references to Jack, John and Johnny are all Jack O'Neill.

**_John and Liz_**

When John's parents told him he would be a big brother he imagined all of the things he would do with his little brother; teach him how to ride a bike, play hockey and protect himself from bullies and at their grandfather's cabin he would teach him to fish and camp under the stars. _All the secrets of life. _

Oh well, turned out he would have to do all of that with a sister, which was better than he could have imagined. He would never admit that to her, actually he didn't have to. Although the few years they shared together as children went by fast, Liz knew the solid place she had in her big brother heart and life.

When John was thirteen playing hockey, Liz was one learning to walk and talk. When he was sixteen learning to drive, she was four learning her abc's. But they had their moments too he would fly her around like an airplane, he taught her how to ride a bike, bait a hook, spot poison ivy, and even how to play hockey and defend herself on and off the ice.

Her brother was her hero long before he became one to his country. While he was learning to fly in the Air Force, she was learning division. And, when she was in biology thinking about becoming a nurse and he was flying over Grenada their father had a heart attack. Their lives although very different were always solidly linked. Jack came home and helped his mother get everything in order before he had to re-join his unit. And, made sure his little sister knew that everything would be okay.

Every leave he checked in to make sure the house was in order, Liz was doing well in school and to see if his Mom needed anything. In some ways his mother was never the same again. It was to be expected, their Dad was the love of her life.

John corresponded with Liz as often as he could. She wrote to him every week without fail until she graduated high school and then nearly every week since then. Only now it was email.

When the world became a darker place, John always had Liz to help him see the light and Liz always had Johnny to make sure everything would be alright. But, sometimes little sister's knew how to make things right too.


	2. Liz and Jane

All references to Jack, John and Johnny are all Jack O'Neill.

_**Liz and Jane**_

Liz couldn't remember meeting Jane, they had just always known each other. Jane lived two doors down from Liz their entire lives. Liz had pictures of the two of them as babies in the front yard of her house. Jane was an only child, the two girls had grown up almost as sisters. Jane was a quirky, sweet girl who loved to read and couldn't hurt a fly. She would bring Liz into her imaginative world and on any given afternoon they could be anywhere in the world or beyond. Liz protected Jane from bullies. Jane cheered Liz on in hockey games.

Liz grew up fast the day her father died. In some ways her childhood ended at fourteen. Luckily she had Jane to remind her how to be a kid and enjoy things like crushes on boys and her hockey team winning the championship that year and their prom.

Jane helped Liz to see the beautiful and ridiculous in life. From Kindergarten through nursing school, even graduate school they were inseparable. The first time they went their separate ways was when Liz volunteered to go to the Middle East when Jack was MIA. But, Liz came home and they picked up where they left off. The six months did not diminish their friendship, it only helped to solidify it.


	3. Mike's Question

All references to Jack, John and Johnny are all Jack O'Neill.

_**Mike's question**_

Jack was cleaning the garage. He could not believe how much stuff the three of them had accumulated over the years. They still had all of Charlie's baby stuff and now they had bikes and skateboards, and sports equipment adding to the chaos. He couldn't get his truck in the garage anymore, today that problem would be remedied.

"Hey John." Mike walked into the garage. He called Sara to make sure this would be a good day to come and talk to Jack. The O'Neill's didn't have anything planned. Charlie would be at a friend's birthday party for the day and Jack was planning on cleaning out the garage so he would be around.

"Hi. Wanna give me a hand with this?"

"Sure." Mike grabbed the other end and followed Jack's lead.

"Liz in the house?"

"No Sir."

"Drop the sir, Mike. She didn't come with you?"

"No, she doesn't know I'm here."

"Oh……..Is there a reason for that?"

"Yeah." They worked for a while in silence. After a while, Mike stopped and grabbed one of the beers he brought. He handed it to Jack and opened another for himself.

"Am I gonna need this?"

"Maybe. Thought better to be safe than sorry."

"Out with it."

"Well. You know that Liz and I have been dating for three years now."

"Yeah."

"I want to ask you for your blessing. I want to ask her to marry me."

"You don't need me for that, she's a big girl. She can do what she wants, she always does." Mike looked at him skeptically "And yet, you are here."

"That's because I think I do need your blessing."

Jack liked Mike. He did. He was a good man. He would never hurt Liz intentionally. It was the unintentional part that concerned Jack. The life he had chosen would be difficult for Liz. Mike was a career Marine. He had no plans of leaving. He would stay until they forced him into retirement or until he… "She knows you're career and that you have no plans of giving it up?"

"Yep."

"She understands she can't always know where you are? You can't always be there on holidays and when she needs you? That if you have kids you won't always be there?"

"Yep"

"What did she say to that?"

"Don't expect me to sit around on some base somewhere and wait for you."

"Sounds like my Lizzie."

"You're the only one she'd leave Chicago for."

"I don't think that's true…anymore."

"So it's life as you two know it, only you're married."

"Yep."

"That's good enough for _both_ of you?"

Mike knew what he meant. "I don't want this life for her, but I don't want life without her either………. I've thought this through. I even tried to leave for her sake. You know her. She doesn't let anyone leave for her benefit. It's like she knows the difference. It's errie."

"Yeah, she's a pain in the butt that way and so many more you have yet to discover." Mike smiled. He had already discovered a good number of them and loved her for them and in spite of them. "So you're serious? You're willing to give your life for my sister?"

"Yes, I know you have flexible morals and extreme loyalty issues. I realize I'm a dead man if I hurt her, so I had better mean it."

"As long as we're clear and you're that certain…….You have a go."

"Thanks John. I won't let you down."

"See to that….Help me finish."

Within the year Liz and Mike were getting married. Jack dutifully walked down the aisle and gave his baby sister away. Releasing her arm turned out to be a great deal more difficult than he had prepared himself for. This moment was more difficult than either Liz or Jack had expected. He knew it should have been his Dad standing there. Instead of releasing Jack's arm and moving to Mike, she faced Jack and hugged him fiercely and he her. She took his face in her hands. "Thank you Johnny." He just nodded. Took her arm and handed it to Mike without reservation.


	4. First Girl's Night Out

All references to Jack, John and Johnny are all Jack O'Neill.

_**Sam and Liz's first Girl's Night Out**_

Sam picked up Daniel and dropped him off at Jack's where she picked up Liz. Sam and Liz headed out for their first girl's night out. Her and Liz tried a new Japanese restaurant Sam had been curious about, which did not disappoint. They were having such a good time.

They discover the awkward teenage years they shared. That both of them had lost a parent in ninth grade. That they were both determined to follow their own path, and that they had both seen every episode of MacGyver.

And then of course Liz had to know…"So what did you think of my brother the first time you met him."

"Liz, I can't talk about stuff like that to you, he's your brother."

"I'm not going to tell him really. I just like hearing people's stories. Especially when they have to do with Johnny."

"You see that's it though Liz. To you he's Johnny and to me he is Colonel Jack O'Neill, a highly decorated Air Force Officer and my commanding officer." Liz had a way about her that you just ended up giving in to her. Not like with Daniel, who you knew was going to drive you crazy so you just went ahead and gave in so he would leave you alone. Or Teal'c because even when he smiled he was scary or Colonel O'Neill because he was your commanding officer so you had to. Liz had a genuine way about her that you just wanted to answer her questions. And, so far Sam couldn't believe how much she had already told Liz. Not about the top secret work she did. Liz was not interested in that. It was nice just to have someone interested in Sam Carter, the friend. She had not had a friend outside of work since…well Sam couldn't remember. Any friends she could claim were work related. So Liz won this match again.

"Okay, I walked in to this meeting room and I am terrified that somebody is going to say that I don't get this assignment. There they are a bunch of guys sitting around the table and your brother, Colonel O'Neill stands up and I introduce myself. I got a little ribbing from the other guys about being a woman and so to prove I can handle it, I blurt out 'I'm an Air Force officer just like you are, Colonel. And just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside, doesn't mean I can't handle whatever you can handle.'" Liz starts laughing. "I could have kicked myself right there. I mean really who says that and that's not the worst part. Then I challenge him to arm wrestle. I had been dealing with men in the Air Force for more than ten years and that's the best I could come up with."

"I see where in combat situations Johnny could have difficulties with women, but I would think I trained that chauvinistic stuff out of him."

"Actually that's just it. Colonel O'Neill is one of the most respectful officers I have served with." Sure she had to prove herself in the field just like any other team member would. But, he never made her feel like he was coddling her in anyway or treating her differently because she was a woman.

"I was thinking of his _very_ protective nature."

"I can see that. He is very protective of his team, but there are men and women. He is an equal opportunity protector. Really Liz he is very respectful, which is remarkable considering his liberal use of sarcasm."

"What Johnny?" Liz mocked.

"Okay now, you got me to say enough about your brother."

"So who is Daniel?"

"He is another one of the scientist on the team."

"Are you two?"

"Daniel, no! He's married."

"Oh. So are you seeing someone?"

"No, my judgment in that department is in question. Not a good track record there. Besides your brother was right I really don't have a life outside of work. I'm kind of focused right now."

"I'm sure you do, but if you don't fish – he can't relate."

"I take it you fish."

"I can fish. I chose not to most of the time. Mike and Johnny go up to the cabin when they can. I let them go and be men. Sometimes I go up there if I want to get away from the city and relax, but rarely do I fish. It's just beautiful up there. Have you been?"

Sam was uncomfortable with the conversation heading back in the Colonel's direction, so she re-directed. "Me no. So where is Mike stationed."

"I think Peterson right now. Usually Peterson, although he gets around to Virginia and Texas quite a bit. He doesn't sit still. He prefers to be in the field."

"Is that why you still live in Chicago and not on a base?"

"I grew up in Chicago and Minnesota in the Summer. It might have been fun moving to some base in a city I had never been to. But, I had my career and my community and Mom to look after. We weren't kids anymore. I knew marrying him meant that life would be the same as it was while we were dating. He's always on the move and usually overseas. He would hardly be at home if I was on base. So he comes and sees me every chance he gets and vice versa, and we are great pen pals. It's not for everyone, but it works for us.

"I'm envious. You seem so confident, secure and at peace. The only relationships I've had left me mess."

"When it's right, it's right. It's not profound. Mike would quit and moved to Chicago if I asked him and I would drop everything and move where ever he asked me to. The thing is we respect each other enough to not ask. I miss him all the time and I wake up wishing he was here and I worry about him constantly. But he's mine and I'm his. No matter what. That's all I need. That's enough of that let's go have some fun."


	5. Dinner with the Jensons

All references to Jack, John and Johnny are all Jack O'Neill.

**_Dinner with the Jensen's_**

Sam ran into the restaurant shaking off the rain. Of course it's raining tonight. It's not that she doesn't like rainy nights, she loves them and there are plenty of nights when she is home by herself with no where to go and the rain would be a welcome song. But, when she has to be someplace for dinner in a restaurant where they actually bring the food to your table and not to your car which you are going to eat on your coffee table alone anyway, she would like to be able to walk in with dry shoes and dry hair. Besides it's too early for rain, it's supposed to be snow. But this evening it's raining, which means by the time she leaves there will be ice on the roads.

"How many in you're party ma'am." The hostess asked.

"Three, but I'm early, I'm going to use the restroom." She hung her coat on the rack and went into the restroom. She put her purse down on the counter, and pulled the paper towels out of the dispenser in the single sheets it would allow. She wiped the mud off her boots from the puddle she didn't see until she was standing in it, shook the drops of rain from her black wool skirt, then tried to rescue her hair and make-up. She looked in the mirror after re-applying her lipstick. "All this work and it's not even a date. Oh well, not a bad recovery."

She looked at her watch and still 15 minutes early. When the hostess saw her again she pointed at the bar. "I'll keep an eye out for my friends from in there." The hostess nodded. She figured even if they were already seated she could use a moment and a drink to settle down. She saw a man walking over from the corner of her eye and she really didn't feel like being hit on tonight.

"Can I buy you a drink miss?" She lifted her head to politely turn him down, but recognized the voice as she started and smiled.

"Hi sir, I didn't know you were coming tonight."

"Liz gives info on a need to know, and she usually decides no one needs to know anything. I didn't know you were coming until I saw you walk in the door." She blushed thinking about what a mess she had been. "Do you want something to drink?" He waved at the bartender, before she even answered, after all she was sitting at the bar. "Mind if I sit?"

"No, of course not, sir." She ordered a whiskey sour. She thought of ordering something more ladylike, like a glass of wine or cosmopolitan, but she needed something stronger if she had to sit next to him out of uniform tonight. The uniform helped define the situation as professional. His black trousers and black sweater were entirely too disarming. She felt nervous in a dress sitting next to him in a bar. And, she was certain she was not fooling anyone.

"Relax Carter." She drank the drink faster than she probably should have and indicated to the surprised bartender to bring her another. Dinner with two superior officers was a much different scenario than the dinner she had with Liz last week or the lunch her and Liz had at the mall yesterday.

"Carter slow down." He was concerned, he had no idea how she handled her liquor. Only her reaction to that stuff she drank on P3X-595, and if that was any indication...

She looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry if I had known it was a family dinner. I would have declined, Colonel."

"Carter if my sister decides she wants to be friends with you, there is nothing you, I or Apophis (he said in a whisper) can do to stop her. Believe me, I have been working on that one for more than 30 years and still haven't figured a way out." He played with the label on his beer bottle. He was surprised by her choice of drinks. But, almost everything about her surprised him from the moment he saw how blue her eyes were to watching her take on men twice her size, her proficiency with a weapon, her diplomacy in difficult situations, her commitment to Cassie and her tenacity to rescue them from of all places Antarctica. There was not a lot in life that surprised him anymore and it made him feel more alive every time she did. He had known her less than a year and hoped never to become indifferent to it.

"Besides as odd as it may sound, my sister is not that good at making friends. If you haven't noticed, she's a little odd. I suppose I only have myself to blame. When other five year old girls were having tea parties and playing with dolls. I was teaching her how to hook a shot in the net and bait her line. By the time I left she was such a little tomboy with this terribly sarcastic sense of humor. Believe me it's really not that cute in a seven year old. She has a few good friends and Mike, but beware when she makes a friend it's for life. You're stuck with her."

Sam smiled, and looked down at her drink. Her shoulders relaxed. She could relate, although she did not play hockey or fish, she was an odd girl who had difficulty making friends and still did. Strangely in only the short span of this past week she was already saddened by the idea of Liz going home and not seeing her again.

"Here there they are." Jack stood up and walked toward the lobby of the restaurant where they would be escorted to their table. He fully hugged his little sister and shook Mike's hand. Sam took another drink, a deep breath, gathered her purse and followed him.

"Mike."

"Colonel."

"Not at dinner Mike."

"Sorry John, I'll try." Jack nodded. Being addressed by rank by family at dinner was too much like work.

"Sam I'm so glad you're here. The weather is horrible. I see Johnny found you." Liz hugged Sam. "Mike this is my new friend Captain Samantha Carter. She works with John and has been a great distraction this week." Jack cleared his throat as he feign offense that she needed a distraction from him. "Sam this is my husband Mike."

"Captain."

"Major." Jack sighed, it was hopeless. They made their way to the table and sat down.

They ordered their food and talked briefly about work as much as any of them could say. Then moved on to safer topics. The night was turning out to be more fun than Sam had thought it would be. She had never seen Jack like this, she kept forgetting who he was. She kept chanting in her head _Colonel O'Neill, Colonel O'Neill_. Which it turned out that chanting his name in her head presenting it's own set of problems.

It was getting late and Liz was telling a story, "-So then Dad comes into the kitchen and looks at us and I had never seen him look so angry-

"Oh, I had. Quite often." Jack interjected.

Liz flashed him a no doubt look. "-anyway, he closes his eyes and the corners of his lips start to twitch and I can see he is trying very hard not to laugh. When he opens his eyes again he can't help it. He bursts out laughing and Mom starts laughing and I did get in trouble for that one Johnny."

"You what? No that doesn't count. I'm holding my ground, you were never punished for anything in your life."

"That's not true Dad grounded me for 2 days." Jack rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I accidentally break a plate and I am forced into hard labor for a month and you could commit a capital crime and come out smelling like a rose."

Liz defensively responded. "Hey I dyed the dog blue, I didn't kill anybody."

Jack leans over to Mike. "And, Mike what color is my mother's kitchen floor to this day?"

"A hideous blue." Mike responses because this was obviously a favorite family story.

"And, you know why?" Jack asks him.

Mike repeats the response he has obviously heard repeatedly over the years. "Because she never saw your Dad laugh so hard in his life. And, the color makes her smile to remember that day."

"Carter she special ordered the tile. They don't even make anything in that color." Jack explains. "Like I said, smelling like a rose….although I have to admit. Liz was a good kid. She only got into trouble for beating up bullies and protesting in the name of some great cause here and there."

"Somebody had to balance out the family tree."

"Hey!"

They were all probably laughing a little too loud, but the restaurant was sparsely populated at this time on a week night, so no one seemed to mind.

Sam had tears in her eyes from laughing at the stories they told. "Wow, I am sorry to do this, because I am having a really nice time. But, I have to get in early tomorrow."

They all looked at their watches and realized the late time, settled the bill and made their way to the door. Mike helped Liz with her jacket. Jack gave Sam a hand with her's. And, they stepped out into the icy parking lot and said their goodbyes. Liz and Mike were returning to Chicago in the morning and Sam and Jack had to get back to work. Sam would miss Liz, but looked forward to things getting back to normal.


	6. Emails 1998, Part 1

All references to Jack, John and Johnny are all Jack O'Neill.

_**Emails # 1**_

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Saturday, March 07, 1998 12:15 AM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** Hi

Hi Sam, just got off my shift. Back to the grind. Rough day we had a bad accident with the snow storm and I was in one emergency surgery after another.

I had great fun in CS with you! You need to come to Chicago sometime and see me. It would be fun. Mike really enjoyed meeting you as did I of course, but, that goes without saying, right?

I have decided that despite the fact that your relationship (I speak here of the professional one of course) with my brother complicates things, good friendships are too hard to come by. So after careful deliberation I have decided that I am keeping you.

So make plans come and see me in Chicago. I will be back in September. If you have time around Christmas come to Chicago, we really know how to deck the halls.

Lost 2 plants to this last trip. I hope my brother appreciates their sacrifice.

Peace and absurdity, Liz

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Monday, March 16, 1998 1:35 AM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** Re: Hi

Hi Liz, sorry it took so long to get back to you. Haven't been home for a while.

Glad to see I am not the only one who gets home late.

I had great fun with you too! I will try to get out to Chicago sometime, but since you nursed your brother back to health so well we are pretty busy again.

Mike is really nice. You did good girl. Tell him I said hi and to keep his head down.

September sounds good. I'll let you know about Christmas, but I probably won't know until we are pretty close to the actual holiday.

You are completely absurd, but don't change a bit. Sam

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Thursday, April 30, 1998 10:43 AM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** I DID IT!

Hi Sam, ahhh a day off and nothing planned, so I did it. I signed up for my first ½ marathon. It is the weekend before I come to see you, so we will see what kind of shape I am in for that trip. Thanks for the push.

I am re-painting the living room. Mike says he never knows what to expect when he comes home. He thinks I like changing the color. Truth is I just can't settle on one yet. I think I like it and then I live with it for a month and it grates on me. I found a pretty cranberry like color. See if that works.

Well enough procrastinating I am off to paint.

Oh yeah – going to miss your call tomorrow night. Jane wants me to meet this new guy. Hope he is better than her last few choices. I don't see how these losers even get dates with such a great woman. Speaking of dates – how are your prospects looking?

Liz

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Sunday, May 03, 1998 2:37 AM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** Re: I DID IT!

Liz, That's great. Keep me informed on your progress.

How is the color looking to you now that it is on the wall? You know if you spent as little time as I do at home you wouldn't even know what color your walls were.

No prospects, you're kidding, right. There was this guy who called me babe yesterday, but that relationship ended when I finished pumping my gas. You know how fleeting those relationships can be. I guess it wasn't meant to last. lol

I was thinking of going and doing something crazy this summer. I saw a brochure for snorkeling in the Keys. You up for it? I can only get away for maybe a 3 day trip, but at least I could say I did something this summer. I'm thinking June.

Keep on runnin'

Sam

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Tuesday, May 26, 1998 5:37 AM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** message

Thanks liz – I laughed so hard when I got home and checked my answering machine. You made my day.

17 days to go. I really need it. I ended up having to start over on a project I spent 3 days working on because of one of the scientist here, didn't know it was _important_.

See you in Miami!

Sam

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Friday, June 26, 1998 8:35 PM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** one word Liz - paybacks

What did you do? How does your brother know what color bathing suit I wore snorkeling? I think my fake plant died. That is really bad isn't it. How does plastic die?

Sam

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Saturday, June 27, 1998 7:18 AM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** RE: one word Liz - paybacks

Sorry, I wasn't thinking when I sent the pictures.

Your one up on me on that one. I have only killed live ones so far.

Although, I refocused my efforts and so far – my replacement plant is still alive. 6 days old and counting.

Sam – get a date or something you shouldn't be emailing your friends on Friday night.

Thinking blue…

Liz

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Monday, June 29, 1998 2:13 AM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** RE: RE: one word Liz - paybacks

PICTURES! You sent pictures! – sure you weren't thinking. I wonder if that defense will hold with your payback? _Sorry judge I wasn't thinking._ No time for dating – I am plotting against you.

Thinking blue…are you sad?

Sam

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Monday, June 29, 1998 9:31 AM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** RE: RE: one word Liz - paybacks

You looked good Sam. Don't worry. I didn't send any of the ones I took of you sleeping off the rum runners.

Blue – for the living room!

Liz

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Thursday, July 2, 1998 1:19 PM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** RE: RE: RE: one word Liz - paybacks

Beware - Paybacks!

Give the cranberry another month.

Sam


	7. Ice Skating

_**Ice Skating**_

Liz hadn't heard much from Sam in the last two months. Jack said she had a lot going on, but her trip would be good timing. Liz arrived Sunday late afternoon at Jack's, he made her dinner and they caught up. She saw the picture she sent him from the keys on the bulletin board next to his desk. And, she hoped her friend was okay.

"We going to go to the rink and hit a few John?"

"Nope sorry – not this trip Liz. Something came up at work and I will be on base for the next few days. I'm afraid I'm going to miss the rest of your visit." Liz was disappointed. But, she knew better than to push. Her brother spent time with her when he could. "I'll come to Chicago next month for a couple of days and take you to the rink okay?"

She smiled. "Okay."

"Why don't you spend the rest of your visit with Carter. I know she's on leave, because I banned her from the base." He really could have spent more time with Liz, but thought she was needed elsewhere. He needed Sam to get back to herself and focused. Liz might just do the trick.

"You sure that would be alright with her?"

"I think it would be really good for her."

"Okay." In the morning Liz packed up her stuff and Jack dropped her off at Sam's on his way to the mountain. He was hopeful that Liz would help her recover faster.

6:30am

_Knock, knock, knock_. "No it isn't my watch yet."

_Knock, knock, knock_. Sam sat up.

_Knock, knock, knock_. She opened the door.

"Hi, come run with me." Liz greeted her.  
"Liz!" she hugged her friend. It was good to feel happy about something she knew was just hers. Between learning of her father's cancer and Jolinar – she dreaded feeling anything. But she was definitely feeling happy to see Liz. "Come in while I change."

Liz walked around Sam's house. She had never been to her house before. Sam always came to get her when she was here taking care of John and they always went out somewhere.

She looked at the pictures of her family. She didn't have many pictures around and what she did have were older pictures. She had a lot of books on pretty heady subjects. Sam was ready in only a few short minutes though and they headed out the door.

They didn't talk much while running but stopped at a bagel place and got breakfast.

"Sam you alright? John said you had a lot going on and I've hardly heard from you lately."

"I'm doing much better now that you're here Liz." She tried to cover herself.

But, Liz didn't by it. "Sam?"

"It's my Dad. He has cancer and it's bad."

"Oh I'm sorry Sam. What's the prognosis?"

"Not good."

They caught up. Sam of course couldn't say anything about Jolinar, but it was good to just get away from all things Stargate and be a regular person again. Liz told her about the race. Liz was proud to say she finished.

They walked back to Sam's. Once they were cleaned up and Liz settled her things in the guest room they sat around the house looking at photo albums and reminisced about the trip to the Keys and caught up.

Sam couldn't believe she could talk to anyone as long as she could with Liz and her phone bill was proof. They never seemed to run out of things to talk about.

"You never got back to me, how was dinner with Jane's new boyfriend."

"Oh, that was ages ago. He's gone. She decided to take a break from dating. She's tired of the whole scene. I don't know how you single girls do it."

"This single girl doesn't. I'm with Jane on this one. I am working on a break that is a good part of the 90's."

"Have you seen the guy at the gas station again?"

"No I guess we were just two ships passing in the night. No one will ever call me babe like he did."

"I brought you the pictures from the keys." They went through them and laughed remembering what a good time they had.

"Oh and that must be Pumpkin." She said of the picture of the golden retriever. Pumpkin was the puppy, now six year old dog that Mike had bought for Liz when they were dating. He hated the fact that Liz lived alone. So he bought her a puppy.

"Yep, that's my Pumpkin baby she's with Mom right now?"

"I tell you Liz that is a much bigger deal than a plant. You are leaps and bounds ahead of me. Next thing you know it will be a baby."

Liz looked like Sam had kicked her. "I'm sorry Liz, did I say something wrong?"

"No Sam. Mike and I haven't been able to have children."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"No it's no big deal. If it's not in God's plan for me than there are plenty of other things I can do. I still have Pumpkin."

If it wasn't such a big deal, Liz would not have looked so sad. "So how did you raise a puppy with your long hours?" Sam thought it might be best to distract Liz from the baby topic since it had upset her.

"She stays with Mom when I'm at work or when I go out of town. Pumpkin turned out to be a blessing for Mom and me. She a great companion, Mom needs a little of that too. She spoils her, but she house trained Pumpkin for me, so I can't complain."

Sam took Liz over to Janet's for dinner. Liz finally got to meet Janet and Cassie. Sam had told her a lot about them on the phone and in the Keys.

"Did Jack ever play dolls with you?" Cassie asked her.

"Oh I think you know the answer to that question. Has he taught you how to hook a shot?" Cassie looked at her blankly. "Has he even taught you how to ice skate yet?"

"No." Cassie answered.

"Well I guess I'll have to. You do have a rink around here, right?" Liz was on a mission.

"Yeah." Sam answered.

"You up for ice skating tomorrow? Sam you know how to skate right?"

"I can hold my own."

"Janet?" Liz asked.

"No, I'm a southern girl, but I'll try anything once."

"I'll teach you Cassie, but if you like it you have to promise me you will bug my brother to work with you."

The four of them went ice skating – indoors of course, it was only September.

When Sam went back to work, she felt more like herself. At work she was a solider and she often had a hard time distinguishing herself away from work. Liz was teaching her to find out who Sam Carter was when she wasn't saving the world.


	8. Emails 1998, Part 2

_**Emails: September – December 1998**_

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Tuesday, September 21, 1998 6:12 AM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Thanks for coming to see me Liz. You have no idea how much you helped. It was a nice visit even if we didn't do anything big. Actually it was a nicer visit, because we didn't. I don't think I have gone through those photo albums in years.

Janet and Cassie enjoyed meeting you. Cassie looks forward to ice skating with you again on your next visit and perfecting her hockey stop. Personally, I don't think I will be going skating with the two of you ever again. Btw as ordered she has been nagging your brother about taking her again.

I hope Pumpkin enjoyed her stay with your Mom while you were gone.  
SC

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Monday, September 27, 1998 9:31 AM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** Your Welcome! Your Welcome! Your Welcome!

Hi Sammie, Sammie Bo Bammie. Mike came home for a week. It was really nice. I had to work 2 of the days, but I think he enjoyed just sitting around by himself for a while. We drove up to the cabin for the weekend. It's getting cold. We didn't fish! Pumpkin enjoyed it too. She did try to fish.

Tell Cassie I look forward to skating with her when I come back. Why won't you go ice skating with me? It was fun! – twirler! Cassie's a sweet girl.

How is your Dad doing? – and you with him? If you need to talk call me. Check with these doctors (see attached) they are trying some innovative new treatments.

What do you think of purple?  
So you coming for Christmas?  
Lizzie

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Thursday, October 14, 1998 11:38 PM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** Purple Blah!

It's October Liz. I can't commit to Christmas in October when I am busy trying to ignore Halloween. But, I told you I will consider it.

Thanks for the recommendations; I passed them along to my father.

Thoughts on purple…works well for grapes, flowers, royal robes and Donnie Osmond's socks. Not living rooms.

Daniel gave me a beta fish, come to think of it he was purple. He said you can't kill them. I did. I tried to tell him I haven't passed the plant phase yet, but too no avail. And, a fish had to suffer for this. Why him, he was a good fish. Could have been a girl though, what do I know about fish.

Stop calling me a twirler – and you know perfectly well the reason. I do not want to be the object of your hockey stops anymore. I looked like a snowman coming off the ice. Some kid asked me where my carrot nose was.

SC

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Sunday, October 17, 1998 8:37 AM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** RE: Purple Blah!

Christmas is only 70 days away. Let me know. Jane wants to meet you.

Wow I haven't thought of Donnie Osmond in a long time. I had a poster of him wearing his purple socks. I loved him. Did you have a crush on him too?

Maybe you should try a cactus. Or go back to the fake plant phase. I am sure the other one was a fluke. Baby steps we might even get you up to a geranium someday.

Looks like a twirler, wears figure skates and spins like a twirler – must be a twirler.  
Call me.  
Lizzie

P.S. Christmas?

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Sunday, October 31, 1998 11:49 PM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** Ba Humbug

Stop it, I told you I will let you know, when I have a better feel for my schedule.  
Sometimes I don't know why I'm friends with you- your brother called me a twirler today – I hate you.  
No crush on any Osmonds, HUGE crush on Parker Stevenson.  
Good news. The new round of treatments is working on Dad. They are hopeful. We are hopeful  
Sorry to make this short. Need to get to bed.

Happy Halloween  
Sam Carter Stevenson – _see how nice that would have looked._

(Sam hated lying to Liz. But, it wasn't entirely a lie; her Dad was getting better.)

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Wednesday, November 10, 1998 4:31 AM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** 45 days until Christmas

Sam, Good news! Mike got promoted. He is now Lt. Colonel Michael Jensen. I am so proud of him.  
You're friends with me because I am just so adorable, and your life would be empty, incomplete and perhaps even meaningless without me. You love me and I know it.  
Parker Stevenson, sounds familiar – who was he?  
Mike agreed with you and said he had to put his foot down on that one absolutely no to purple.

Lizzie  
Christmas?

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Thursday, November 18, 1998 10:11 PM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** RE: 45 days until Christmas

What are you a Santa's helper or just a drama queen?  
I emailed Mike – that's really great news on his promotion.  
Parker Stevenson was one of the Hardy Boys – him and Shawn Cassidy – remember.  
SC_S_

**------------------------------------**

"With only," George Hammond started and then leaned over to Sgt. Harriman "how many days until Christmas?"

"44" Sam and Jack answered dryly at the same time and then looked at one another, surprised yet knowingly.

"With only 44 days until Christmas people…" George Hammond continued. He had called the meeting to discuss the upcoming holidays, and what would be accomplished over the next couple of months. There would be fewer missions and more of a focus on administrative duties and training while the SGC staff took their respective holiday vacations. The entire SGC would be inventoried slowly becoming a great annual holiday event and training and drills would be conducted. Then there would also be the SGC Christmas party. All of the SG teams were packed into the conference room to get their schedules and assignments.

"Jack?" Colonel Makepeace cornered him.

"You're working Christmas aren't you?"

Exactly what Sam needed to know, she returned to her lab with a spring in her step.

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Thursday, November 25, 1998 5:12 AM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** Happy Turkey Day!

Just put the turkey in the oven. Jane and I took a cooking class. It was fun or funny for me. I went to keep Jane company and get her in trouble by cracking jokes and making her laugh at the instructor. My mother would have been horrified; she taught me all of the stuff the class did by the time I was six. Somehow even though Jane practically lived at my house, she missed a good deal of the cooking lessons. She said she learned a lot.

Oh yeah, Jane liked Shawn Cassidy, but yeah Stevenson was hot. And, yes Sam Carter Stevenson would have been a great name. Ever thought of Sam Carter O'Neill?

Happy Thanksgiving.  
Lizzie  
Christmas?

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Tuesday, December 7, 1998 2:12 PM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** Hello

Sam?

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Tuesday, December 14, 1998 9:12 PM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** Hello

Sam? Christmas?

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Capt. S. Carter, PhD  
**Sent:** Saturday, December 18, 1998 6:12 AM  
**To:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Subject:** RE: Hello

I would have emailed you sooner, but I was giving you the silent treatment.  
Stop badgering me I coming, although with that last email, I almost bought a ticket to Hawaii instead! Btw - do that again, and I will not EVER email you again. EVER! EVER! EVER!  
Pick me up at Meigs Field on the 23rd. I'll call you when I get in. Should be there around noon. Will call when I land.  
SC.

**------------------------------------**

**From:** Elizabeth O. Jensen  
**Sent:** Sunday, December 19, 1998 8:12 AM  
**To:** Dr. Samantha Carter  
**Subject:** RE: RE: Hello

Who's being the drama queen now?  
I wanna ride in the airplane! Hee, hee  
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  
Santa's Helper, Lizzie


	9. Sam’s First O’Neill Christmas

**_Sam's First O'Neill Christmas_**

Sam had not flown her plane in a few months – it was great to get it out of the hanger. She certainly didn't want to spend Christmas listening to her brother complain about the choices she had made in her life or spend it alone again. And, her Dad would not even be on this planet. So she was on her way to Chicago to spend Christmas with Liz.

Luckily – the weather was good. It was peaceful to be up there; as peaceful as a twin engine prop plane can be. She needed these moments in life to keep her sane, because knowing the things she knew while very exciting and often amazing were equally unsettling.

Liz picked her up at the airfield, and drove her around a little – a quick scenic tour before heading home. Liz referred several times to the list of things she still had to get done on Christmas Eve-Eve. Sam was determined not to be the Grinch to Liz's Cindy Lou Who.

She had four days to spend in Chicago before returning to her real world. Sam had to work New Years, but she didn't mind. No where to go anyway and for the first time in a long time she had plans for Christmas that didn't involve work. They arrived at Liz's late in the afternoon. Liz and Mike had a modest sized, remodeled home in a neighborhood of like homes. There were kids playing street hockey and riding bikes and Sam thought it suited Liz.

Sam brought in her bag and Liz showed her to the guest room. Liz's house was very colorful. The guest room was mostly yellow with lots of daisies. It was a very cheerful room. The room felt like Spring, but the window's view was a reminder of the cold Chicago winter.

Liz left her and told her to come on down when she was settled in. Sam took out the clothes she needed to hang up and went down stairs. She didn't see Liz – so she just looked around.

When she came down stairs she paid more attention to the layout. Now that Sam was in the house she realized it was larger than it looked from the outside. The stairs were in the middle of the house and separated the living and family room areas. The family room, kitchen and breakfast nook were towards the back of the house, painted in greens. Sam imagined some walls must have been knocked down to make the area more open. The family room led out to a large deck, the back yard had a picnic table under the tree towards the back fence. The tree was bare and the grass was brown with patches of ice in the shady areas.

Sam wandered to the front of the house into the living room and dining room. There was a large Christmas tree by the front window. Traditional multi-colored lights blinked on and off making the metallic colored ornaments sparkle. The living room was painted blue. Sam was surprised to see it was still blue. She knew Liz painted it after their trip to the Keys but that had been months ago, and there was talk of purple.

Liz had an unbelievable amount of pictures around the house but an even higher concentration of them in the living room. There were frames on nearly every surface. She saw pictures with various combinations of Liz, Jack, their Mom and Dad and Mike.

There was a picture of Jack and his Dad. Jack was in uniform, the picture had probably been taken not too long after Jack joined the Air Force. Jack looked a lot like his Dad. They were close in height and build, and had the same grin. In fact now he looked more like the picture of his Dad than he did of his younger self. She found a more recent picture of Liz and Jack and their mother. Their mother looked smaller than Sam had imagined. Liz was about 5'6" and Jack was more than six feet tall. But, there mother could not have been more than 5'2" – 5'3". She had beautiful silver hair, not gray, beautiful skin and a full smile. She had a nice figure and a very tailored look in the way she dressed from the pictures Sam saw. Liz had very similar taste in clothing. Lots of solid colors, it suited them both nicely.

There was a picture of Jack in his dress blues, a picture she recognized of Charlie with a prayer card tucked into the corner of the frame, and many people she had no idea of who they were. On the fireplace mantel in an esteemed position was a picture of Mike in his dress uniform. Then she saw one of her and Liz from the keys. Not one of the pictures from the beach, but one from when they were walking around the shops.

"Sorry Sam, I saw an email from Mike and wanted to respond."

Sam turned around, "Oh no problem, just looking at your pictures. Hi Pumpkin."

"Sorry, she's doing her best to be a good hostess, but she's still a little out of it. I just picked her up from the vet this morning they took a lump off her back. The medication has her more subdued than usual. Otherwise she would have been jumping up to greet us at the door. Not feeling so good are you girl."

Pumpkin walked over to sniff Sam's hand and wagged her tail slowly as Sam rubbed her ears. "She's beautiful. Is she okay?

"Yeah, they said it was benign and she should be back to her normal self as early as tomorrow."

"Is Mike coming home for Christmas?"

"He's trying, a couple of his trainees were injured in an exercise. He thinks they're alright, but wants to be sure. He's down in South Carolina." Mike was devoted to his work and Liz admired that about him. She decided a long time ago that couldn't make exception of that if it was an inconvenience to her.

"You have a lot of pictures Liz."

"I love being reminded of my family and friends. Some people collect figurines; I collect moments."

"So what's the plan?"

"Glad you ask! I have some cooking to do; a little baking to finish. You don't mind do you?" Liz said excitedly.

"Nope, sounds like fun."

"Jane's going to come and help. Then we can go to this little bar down the street, I told some of my cousins I would try and get down there. Tomorrow I told Sister Regina I would help her with the Christmas decorations in the Church, then midnight Mass tomorrow night. Christmas morning will be fairly peaceful, but then there is Christmas dinner which starts at about 1:00pm at my mother's and goes until we kick the last drunk O'Neill out the door."

"Your mother's?" Sam had not even considered that she would be spending Christmas with Jack's mother. The schedule of the next two days was a lot busier than she had expected.

"Yes and 40 or so of our closest relatives."

"You're kidding?"

"No. I told you before big family. That's why we're still cooking tonight." She explained as she turned and walked toward the kitchen leaving Sam with her mouth still gapping.

Sam thought she was coming to spend a quiet holiday with her friend and maybe a few others. But no, she was having an O'Neill family Christmas. Oh joy.

Jane came over shortly there after and Sam was finally introduced to the woman she had heard so much about. Jane was about the same height as Liz and truly they could be sisters. She was more fair than Liz, but not as fair as Sam. She had short blond hair and green eyes, whereas Liz had light brown hair and brown eyes. Jane was quite thin and had a very graceful way about her. Her movements were deliberate which probably came in handy as a surgical nurse. She was not fragile, but gentle. Jane was single. She didn't like being single and had a lot of first dates in the last few years, but not many second dates. She was not desperate, but determined. Her mother did not have her until she was 40 and she was an only child. Jane wanted a family – a larger family. Sam respected her for knowing what she wanted and not compromising.

They had a good time cooking. Sam didn't know it could be that much fun. They must of made 10 dozen cookies, which Sam discovered was about one tenth of what Liz made from December 15th to the 25th. Jane explained that about a third went to the church, a third to the hospital and the rest to Liz's brother. Which Liz corrected, they actually were for the entire O'Neill clan, he just commandeered a good number of them.

By nine-thirty they were tired of cooking and cleaned up. They put on their coats and headed down to the bar to meet Liz's cousins. It was cold and it was about 10 blocks over and 3 blocks up, but the company was good.

Liz held out her arms. "This is my little neighborhood, Sam. That's the house I grew up in."

"That house?" Sam asked surprised that they were passing it on this short walk.

"Yep. I grew up and bought a house only a few blocks from my mother's, how sad is that."

"And, that's my house Sam." Jane pointed to the house two doors down.

"This is where the two you spent your entire childhood? In order to show you where I grew up we would have to take an eight state, three country tour." Here was the entire history of these two women as they took a walk down to a bar for a beer.

"That sounds like fun!" Jane said and then explained how she bought her house from her mother after her father passed away a few years ago.

Jane and Liz pointed out memorable places of along the way. Then they were there. It was an old bar. The pictures on the wall seemed to span the last 80 years or so. There was a casual restaurant attached to it. Both the restaurant and bar seemed crowded for this late on a weeknight, but it was close to Christmas. Many people seemed to know each other. Sam could hear lots of "Hey, _insert name_ haven't seen you in ages. Home for the holidays?" kind of greetings.

Liz and Jane went to the restroom and Sam went to the bar to order their drinks. This was all surreal. She had dreams less strange than this and considering the things she had see in the last year and a half that said a lot. Sure it was probably normal for most people to grow up in a neighborhood somewhere, just not to her. And the fact that she would even consider this experience stranger than the dream she had where she lived next door to Hathor, just confirmed that she was not normal by any standards. She ordered three beers.

While she waited she looked at the pictures behind the bar. They covered the walls of this place - politicians, soldiers, entertainers and the like. "Sam, Sam back here." She faintly heard. She grabbed the three beer bottles and headed over to Jane and Liz. They were standing near a bunch of tables pushed together. Sam made her way over. Liz and Jane were greeting and hugging people around the table. Sam handed them their beers. Liz pulled her over.

"Sam these are some family and friends of mine. Melanie, Liam, Robert, Eileen, Henry, Bridgette, Jim, Annie, Dave, Michael, the other Michael, Ian, and Marybeth." Sam nodded as they were introduced. Hoping there would not be a test later. Some were standing and some sitting and still people joined and left the group even while Liz introduced them. They were all laughing and reminiscing about old times. The entire bar seemed to be full of pockets of people doing the same thing.

Liz informed Sam of who was who – relative, friend, or married to one and pointed out Mike's picture on the wall near the table they were sitting at. Soon Sam had finished her beer and offered to get a second round and escaped to the bar.

She stood at the bar, waiting for the beers and scanning the pictures.

"Carter!"

"Sir!"

"Carter, don't call me that here." He looked around hoping no one had heard that, but it was too late.

"See I told you you're getting old. That's what happens when you hit on beautiful, young women, John; you get sired." He was slapped on the back. Jack closed his eyes. He just wanted to have a few beers with some old friends, he did not want to think about work or explain anything to anyone.

"Hi there, I'm Andy, John's cousin and I know he looks old for his age. But, it's the mileage – war does that to a man-"

"Andy stop!" Jack hollered at him, before he tried to give her his hero speech next. Sam was trying to stifle a giggle. The night just kept getting better. "She's a friend of Liz's Andy." Sam looked at Jack surprised.

"Oh well any friend of Lizzie's…nice to meet you. I'm their cousin, Andy."

"Samantha Carter." She held out her hand. She didn't see Liz approach from behind her.

"Liz." Jack seemed to say in a rather accusing tone over Sam's shoulder and then leaned over and kissed his sister on the cheek when she got closer.

"Jack." She responded in the same tone, mocking him. "There are a bunch of us back at our usual table." She informed Jack and Andy. "Your wife just asked me if I had seen you Andy. I told her I saw you flirting with a cute red head." He waved Liz off but even so had already started to blush. "John nice catching up with you. See you Christmas I have to go save my marriage."

Liz left with Andy, leaving Sam and Jack alone. Well alone as you can be in a bar full of people who all seemed to know each other. Sam was really uncomfortable, this was not unfolding the way she had envisioned this visit. Things rarely did seem go as she planned when she was with Liz.

"So you're spending Christmas in Chicago." Jack stated more than asked.

"Yeah, I thought you were working Christmas?"

"Traded…Makepeace. He has a hot date for New Year's." Sam nodded her understanding and took a deep breath.

"So how do you feel about answering questions about what we do in the mountain over the next few days?" Jack asked

"Not in favor of it, Sir."

"Me neither."

"…"

"…"

"Well Samantha Carter, it was really nice to meet you." He put his hand out. Was he serious?

"Sir?"

"Please call me John. Jack is a dead give away we work together and Sir is even worse. I should let you get back to Liz and Jane, before people start talking." He waggled his eyebrows and shoved off from the bar and headed back to the group.

"John." She repeated. Well, she figured in this surreal world it made more sense than 'Jack.' When she looked up she realized one of the pictures on the wall behind the bar was of a very young Jack O'Neill in his pilot suit, in front of a fighter jet. The young, innocent (if he ever was) and yet very cocky smile of the then inexperienced fighter pilot. Of course she thought and headed back to Liz and Jane.

-------------

Sam sat at the breakfast table drinking coffee, picking at her toast and looking through the paper. Pumpkin came in much more energetic than she had been the night before and went to the sliding door and barked.

Sam got up and let her out and walked out with her in the probably 15 degree weather. She shivered and rubbed her arms as she was watched Pumpkin sniff around for a good place to do her business. She looked at the clouds; it was going to snow today.

Sam heard the sliding door behind her. It was 7:00am and Sam thought Liz was still in the shower. She turned around surprised to be face to face with none other than Jack O'Neill's mother. "Oh Hi dear, where's Elizabeth?" Pumpkin ran over happy to see one of her people. "Hi sweetie." She greeted the dog.

"In the shower. I'm.."

"Elizabeth told me she had a friend coming for Christmas. I'm Millie O'Neill, her mother."

"I'm Samantha Carter, ma'am."

"Nice to meet you dear, I have heard a great deal about you." Millie shook Sam's hand, gently enclosing Sam's hand with both of her hands. It was a sweet, genuine gesture. "Why don't we go back inside; I think Pumpkin is finished with her business. Aren't you dear?" The last part of course directed at the dog. They returned to the warmth of the house. "I hope we get a chance to talk while your here, but right now I need to get Liz's serving dishes and get home." Millie went to the buffet by the breakfast table and started pulling out platters and serving bowls.

Liz came downstairs when she heard the commotion in her kitchen. "Mom, what are you doing? I told you I would bring those over this morning."

"I needed them sooner than I thought. Your Aunt Rose brought her food early, I told her to bring it at ten, but there she was on my doorstep at 6:30 am, I can't imagine what time the dear got up. Bless her heart she said they predict snow this morning and she was worried about driving in it. I wasn't prepared for her. I should have gotten these earlier."

"Mom," Jack came running into the house whining. "Mom, I told you I would come over and get those, if you would just let me get dressed. Sorry, Liz. I went up to change and when I got back downstairs she was already out of the house." He brother apologized. "Mom, it's 12 degrees outside, you could have waited for the car." Pumpkin had already run over to Jack to greet him. "Hey Pumpkin, how's my girl." He let her lick his face and barked happily to greet him.

Liz was already pulling out the items she knew her mother came for and that she had intended on bringing over herself this morning.

"I'll have you know son, I have endured more than one Chicago winter without your assistance and Christmas does not wait for the weather. People expect to eat, even if it is 12 degrees outside." Jack looked at her puzzled. "Mom, you could wait 10 minutes for me to get dressed and get the car."

She ignored his edgy tone and took inventory of the dishes.

"Liz the gravy boat?" Her mother inquired.

"John there are two boxes upstairs in my den. One with the punch bowl and the other has the gravy boat and a few other things for Mom, could you get them?"

"Why yes Liz, I would be happy to." Emphasizing this to his mother. Who took no notice of his sarcasm.

Sam stood there taking it all in, learning more of their family dynamics from watching this little scene than she had from all of the stories she had heard. And, between her visits with Liz, dinner with Liz, Jack and Mike and last night at the bar, she had heard quite a few.

"Where's Michael?" her mother asked.

"Still delayed. He's trying to get home, Mom."

"Everything alright?" Jack asked concerned. Never knowing where Mike was, he didn't know if he should be worried.

"Fine a couple of trainees were injured. I was just going to check my email, when I found Mom rummaging through my buffet."

"I don't understand the two of you. Of course, Michael will be home soon. He wouldn't miss Christmas." Liz and Jack rolled their eyes and went back to their tasks.

"Can I do anything to help?" Sam asked.

"Yes dear, thank you. You're tall. Can you go upstairs in Liz's linen closet and get the white table cloths on the top shelf? There should be four of them." Sam looked to Liz, who nodded. She walked towards the stairs, Jack was coming down so she waited for him before she began her ascent.

"Samantha." He finally acknowledged her.

"John." They avoided eye contact, this was far too alien for either of them to acknowledge.

"Okay Mom, I am not bringing my food over until tomorrow morning. That's still when you want it right." Liz confirmed.

"Yes dear you are an angel. You're coming today at two, right? Johnny already vacuumed for me, so I am ready." Sam tried to think of Colonel O'Neill with a vacuum. He probably did vacuum after all he was a single man. Still…

"Yes, I am all yours after I help Sister Regina with the Christmas decorations before the four o'clock Mass."

"John you should go help them."

"I'm sure they have enough help Mom, I am here to help you."

"Don't you think they could use his help Liz?"

"Mom, we have it covered, Johnny can help you."

"Lizzie!" Mike came bounding in loudly through the front door.

"Mike!" Liz ran and jumped into the arms of her soldier home for Christmas. She kissed him passionately. Pumpkin jumped up on him and greeted him as well.

Millie continued her work and Jack and Sam tried to find things to do to keep busy and not acknowledge the two of them. When they finally broke for air, they were still in there own little world with loving terms of endearment. The first thing Sam heard was.

"Hey the living room's still blue, must be a record." Finally they rejoined the rest of the room and everyone welcomed Mike home.

"Hey, Congratulations Lt. Colonel Jensen!" Jack shook his hand and patted him on the back at the same time.

"Thanks." Mike said. Sam congratulated him as well.

The car was packed, Sam offered to help Jack unpack the car at his Mom's to give the Jensen's a little time alone this morning. Even though she was not comfortable about going to Jack's mother's home, she thought it better than to be in the Jensen home this morning.

Sam took one of the boxes from Jack and followed Millie into the house. It was similar to Liz's. She walked through the living area to the kitchen there were several tables set up already. And, sure enough there was the blue tile kitchen floor. It was actually a quite tasteful tile and the color was not nearly as bad as Jack and Mike had led her to believe. From the look of Millie's house, Sam imagined Millie did not do anything that wasn't tasteful.

She took direction from Millie and helped out where she could. Sam wouldn't know where to begin to serve dinner to the 40 plus people she understood would be there the next day. According to the schematic Millie had drawn up, much of the current furniture would be removed and the there would be more tables set up to accommodate everyone and the basement would be set up with two tables for the children.

Millie instructed Jack and Sam to set up the basement. As they set up the tables for the children, Sam had to ask. "You're family does this every year?"

"Unbelievable isn't it? I don't get back every year, truthfully I can't take this every year. Doesn't your family get together for Christmas?" He had only met Jacob – he didn't know who else she would be missing this Christmas.

"No." And, she didn't supply any further information on that.

Millie watched the two of them and could tell they were familiar with one another. When Sam went to the restroom. Millie cornered Jack.

"John you know Samantha?"

"She's Liz's friend Mom." He tried avoiding her, but knew better. "We work together Mom. Liz met Sam when she came to visit me earlier this year and they hit it off."

"She's in the Air Force?"

"Yes Mom."

"You like her." She stated, it was not a question.

"Mom! Stop treating me like I'm 13. I'm her commanding officer. She and Liz are friends. That's it. Nothing else to it." He walked away from her before she could get anything else out of him. _There is nothing else to get, he chastised himself._

Mike and Liz arrived a little while later. With big smiles which were certainly due to more than Christmas cheer. Jack and Sam came up from the basement to find Millie going over the list with Mike of which relatives would need to be picked up tomorrow so that they would not have to drive in the snow.

"Hi Sam," Liz greeted her with a big smile.

"Hi Liz, having a good Christmas Eve?" Of course she didn't have to answer.

"You should come with us John." Mike invited.

"No you kids run along and have fun. I'm going to hold down the fort."

"No John you should go." Millie insisted.

Mike and Liz sharing a knowing look. Mike distracted Millie, while Liz pulled Jack to the side. "Johnny you have to leave the house."

"What?"

"Shhh. Mom's tired, but she won't tell anyone she needs to take a nap, so if there are people here she will over work herself."

"Since when, Mom doesn't take naps."

"Jack Mom is almost 70. She won't admit it to anyone, but she needs to take more breaks, so Mike and I kind of build them into the day for her so that she can maintain her dignity. You don't need to go with us, but she needs to think you are."

Jack was a little saddened at the reality. His mother was a 5'2" dynamo of a woman. The woman still walked 2 miles a day, she even had a treadmill in the basement for the really cold days. The realization that his mother was actually getting older shouldn't have surprised him, heck he was getting older. But, it did bother him.

"Alright campers, baby Jesus doesn't set up the manger himself." They all looked at him strange. "Let's go." He kissed his mother and saw more of the wrinkles that lined her face. He kissed her again. "I love you, Mom."

She smiled shyly, "Go on Johnny, have fun. Please for me." He looked at her quizzically. And wondered which one of them was being played here, or maybe both were, or maybe he was just overly suspicious.

Along the way they picked up Jane.

The church was bustling with activity. Preparation for the Christmas Mass could not begin until the daily Mass was over. So the Advent decorations could not be taken down until 9am. By the time they had arrived the large Advent wreath that hung near the alter had been lowered and the Advent banners had been lowered. People were folding and packing up as the Christmas decorations were being brought in. Mike and Jack helped them bring in the 18 Christmas trees that would decorate the church and helped erect the stable for the manager. Sam helped Liz put the white lights on the trees. While Jane set up the white candles. She seemed to be shyly flirting with a man who had come in later.

"Jane dating again Liz?"

"I don't know. He looks a little familiar, but I can't place him."

"It's good to see you Jonathan. Staying out of trouble's way?" Sister Regina asked.

"Sister, can't seem to find any where to hid from it." She smiled. Sister Regina and Jack connected the day he walked in for first grade. _He walked up to her and introduced himself. "Jonathan O'Neill, Sister. Mom says God has a special plan for me, because even though trouble always seems to find me I always seem to find a way out." She appreciated the warning and understood by the end of his first day. Sister Regina spent the next ten years or so trying to make it a little harder for trouble to find him. _

The church was transformed from the blues and purples of Advent to the gold, white, green and red of Christmas. The trees were lit with white lights and baby Jesus was in the manager.

"Jane we're heading out for lunch." Liz went to let her know they were ready to leave.

"Liz I'd like you to meet Brian, he is the pediatrician I told you about who transferred from Salt Lake a couple of months ago." Liz vaguely remembered the conversation and thought well at least he isn't a surgeon. While surgeon's were a necessary evil, she preferred not to socialize with them.

"Nice to meet you Brian." As Liz watched the two of them she realized that they were a lot more familiar with each other than Jane had let on. Jane had not said much about him, which meant she was trying very hard not to get her hopes up. But, her smile gave her away and showed that she was failing miserably at that endeavor. "Very nice to meet you Brian." And, Liz kicked into social director gear. "This is Sam, that over there is my magnificent husband Mike and my brother John. Do you have family in Chicago?"

"No I just moved here. My parents live in Florida. Being the new guy I'm on call for Christmas, so I couldn't go see them."

"Well then you have to come over for Christmas dinner tomorrow." Jane looked hopeful and terrified all at the same time. She was afraid her adopted family might be too much for this budding romance.

"Oh I couldn't intrude, but thank you." Brian declined politely.

"No intrusion, really. You must come, I insist. I won't take no for an answer."

"Actually it's more like she doesn't know _how_ to take no for an answer. In fact come to think of it she might not even understand what the word means." Jack interrupted.

"I blame you entirely Johnny. As my big brother it was your job to teach me those sorts of things."

"I blame you too John. What are we talking about?" Mike joined in. He found it was always a good idea to blame John for the short-comings of his lovely wife.

"I was inviting Brian for dinner tomorrow he's a new doc at St. Anthony's and can't get to his family because he's on call."

"Hi Brian, Colonel John O'Neill." Jack kicked into older brother gear and Mike shored up behind him and Jane panicked inside. But then she also felt honored that they would care that much about her.

"Colonel Mike Jensen." Sam and Liz rolled their eyes at their bravado.

"So what's for lunch?" Jack's stomach demanded to know.

The six headed out for lunch.

Turned out Brian could handled the two Colonels just fine – after all he dealt with children all day long.

-------------

They managed to make it back to the house by two to set up. First, the furniture had to be brought upstairs to the spare rooms and tables and chairs set up around the house. Plates, glasses and silverware were inventoried. Millie would never let her guests eat Christmas dinner on paper plates. Only the children were allowed to do that.

Millie fed them dinner and Mike, Liz and Sam left to go and return later for the drive to midnight mass. Sam welcomed the chance for a nap. 0700 when she met Millie O'Neill for the first seemed like a long time ago.

Several hours later, Millie proudly walked into the church on her son's arm. Jack looked dashing in the black pants, sweater and jacket. Sam had to stop herself from starring more than once which Liz did not miss. The church was beautiful with the lit trees and shimmering gold banners.

Jane and Brian, and Sister Regina sat with them. Sam recognized several other people from the bar from the previous night.

She had not been to midnight Mass since her mother was alive. Being here brought back a flood of memories. Her mother loved this service with the candle light and smells of incense and pine, she had to wipe away a few tears at particular moments during the Mass.

-------------

Christmas morning arrived quickly. Mike made Sam and Liz breakfast and then they got ready and headed to Millie's. Sam quickly realized that Christmas for this family wasn't about presents; it was about spending time with family and friends and about food.

The final touches were applied and by 1:00pm the tree lights were blinking, the food was set out and the Christmas music was playing in the background. The house smelled like everything good you could image. A few people had arrived early to help set up and bring over more food, but for the most part the festivities started at 1:00pm as schedule.

There were people everywhere. Sam watched as Jane introduced Brian around; Jane was definitely a part of this family. Sam had been introduced around by Liz and Millie when the occasion presented itself. For the most part Sam just tried to step in and help Millie whenever she saw a need. Because if she sat still Jack would enter her line of sight and he looked really nice all dressed up. Without the safety of the uniforms to keep her well trained mind on the tasks at hand she could see the twinkle in his eyes more clearly as he teased Liz, and his grin was more relaxed away from the pressures of the mountain. He was a very handsome man, hard not to notice him. And, that was exactly why she kept returning to lend a helping hand, whether it be washing a few dishes or adding more punch to the bowl.

Jack watched her from across the room. At one point he had seen her washing dishes with his mother. They were talking and laughing, he was wondering just how much Samantha Cater would know about him by the time they returned to work. Later when he saw her laughing with Liz and a few of his younger cousins he was taken by surprise by how beautiful she was when she laughed.

She was wearing a red cashmere sweater, and he could barely keep his eyes off of her. He felt this desperate need to find out if the sweater was as soft as it looked. He had resisted all afternoon and as the sun faded he found himself losing the battle as he crossed the room. He ran his lightly across the small of her back.

When Sam felt his hand on her back she shivered slightly under his touch. She turned and saw him. As if it were an alternate universe, for a brief moment in time they were just John and Samantha and it was Christmas. The noise of room dissipated as she leaned toward his mouth just a little to hear his question, and she could feel his breath on her ear.

"Samantha, would you like something to drink?"

Time seemed slower in that moment. "Yes, thanks John that would be nice." The very light pressure of his hand left her back and as he walked away time seemed to resume it's normal pace. He walked back toward the kitchen, trying very hard to remind himself that Samantha was really Captain Samantha Carter – it was easier to remember where the lines were when she was in her BDU's calling him 'Colonel' and 'Sir', than here calling him John, wearing that damn sweater.

Jack finally managed to get to the punch bowl and get something for Sam. She probably thought he had gotten lost in his own mother's house.

But when he returned he found her deep in conversation with Jane and his mother. Millie asked Liz and Mike to check on the state of the basement where the children had eaten. And, then Millie and Jane cornered Sam.

"Sam this June is Liz and Mike's fifth anniversary and we" Jane moved her finger between herself and Millie "are throwing them a party. We want your help."

"Sure what do you need from me?"

"We are trying to get Liz to get out of town and we were hoping she could come to Colorado Springs and visit you."

"I don't know if that is such a good idea. She's already coming in March to go skiing."

Jane bit her thumbnail disappointed.

"What about the cabin?" Sam asked.

"The cabin!" Jane and Millie repeated conspiratorially.

"You three look like you're up to something." He handed Sam the punch. "Oh yeah, definitely up to something." They informed him of his part of the plan and changed the topic before Liz found them. Sam and Jane arranged to make additional plans by phone and email over the next six months.

The evening was finally winding down, "So when's your flight back?" Jack asked Sam, trying his hand at small talk.

"Can't wait to be rid of me, huh?" she accused him lightheartedly.

"No, just curious."

"I filed a flight plan for 1400 on Monday, but it looks like I'm going to have to leave tomorrow or risk being snowed in by the system on the heals of this morning's storm. I don't want to risk being snowed in."

"Flight plan? You flew here? Samantha Carter you have a plane?"

"Yep."

"Carter you are full of surprises."

"Thank you, I think." His smile ensured her it was a compliment.

"Well if you do manage to get out of here tomorrow can I catch a ride back with you? I'd rather not risk it either. What is it?"

"Excuse me?"

"The plane Samantha. What kind of plane do you have?"

"Piper Seneca"

"Twin engine, very nice?" She rewarded him with one of her huge smiles. She was proud of her baby. She had rebuilt the entire engine. Maybe that was better than a plant. She would have to check with Liz on that one later.

"Enjoying the mayhem of an O'Neill Christmas?"

"Yeah, your family is great. Your mother is really sweet."

"She has her moments." He replied sarcastically.

"Growing up Christmas was usually over by the time Mark and I tore through the wrapping on our gifts."

"And, now."

"It's been Christmas courtesy of the USPS for sometime now." She could tell he didn't understand. "We just send each other gifts."

"Ahhh." He suddenly found himself appreciating his family through her eyes. "Merry Christmas Samantha." He raised his glass.

"Merry Christmas John."

-------------

They spent the next morning restoring Millie's house to it's proper self.

"John I like your girlfriend. She is very sweet." Millie whispered to her son.

"Mom she is not my girlfriend she is Liz' friend," he disputed.

She brought her hand to his face and smiled, "I am so glad you found someone to make smile. You deserve to be happy sweetheart." And there it was. His mother was set on that one like ants on a picnic. He smiled, walked away, shaking his head.

Sam hated saying goodbye to Liz after such a short visit, but she couldn't risk getting snowed in and besides Liz would not miss her with Mike here. They had plans to ski in CO in March. And, then she would be back in Chicago in June, even if Liz didn't know about that one.

When she next saw Jack at the mountain – it was Carter and Colonel and her world had once again gratefully slipped safely and securely back into place.


End file.
